Assemble A Quick And Easy Veggie Bowl For Dinner

Assemble a simple dinner seems like a straight-forward task, but it is easier said than done. Mainly because you’ve had a long day and the thought of preparing anything seems like a tedious task. Luckily, you can try our go-to technique to create your favorite dishes for busy weeknights.

Better yet, these dishes all depend on what you have left in your fridge and pantry. You can make them with very little planning or none at all. You can create delicious dishes with a bunch of different ingredients or even just a handful. And with a few adjustments, these bowls can cater to one person or several.

The bonus is that they are healthy, vegetarian and with the tasty sauces, a brilliant way to pack in a ton of vegetables at once.

Assemble The Necessary Tools

Before you can start getting creative, you’ll need a few things to make preparation even simpler.

Ingredients

Equipment

Find a blender or food processor (optional) to prepare a quick homemade sauce.

Another saucepan with a lid and steamer basket or heat-resistant colander to cook your chosen vegetables and protein.

Instructions

1. Start cooking your grain.

This is a one-bowl meal and is the best way to use leftover food. You can also reheat grains sitting in your fridge which stops you from throwing food away. If you’d like to prepare the bowl quickly, then choose a quick-cooking grain like quinoa ( cooks in about 15 minutes), bulgur (cook in about 20 minutes), or pearl barley (about 30 minutes).

2. Start processing the sauce.

If you’re health conscious then you need to place importance on the sauces you consume. Overly processed sauce sold in grocery stores are often filled with preservatives, flavorants and refined sugars. Therefore, it’s best to whip up your own while your grain is cooking. You can also make it ahead of time and refrigerate the sauce until needed. Here are a few good recipes:

You can choose which vegetables you’d prefer to use in your bowl. Frozen veggies are perfectly fine too. It’s meant to be whatever you have in your kitchen at the time. Then, don’t forget to add some kind of protein whether it tofu or legumes. You will need to cut your tofu up into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking. Then, fill a saucepan with an inch or two of water and place the steamer basket or colander inside, and bring to a boil. Layer the vegetables and protein in the basket, placing heavier, dense items (root veg, tempeh) on the bottom and lighter items (leafy greens, tofu) on top. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium, and steam until everything is just cooked.

Place a small scoop of your cooked grain in the center of each bowl. Arrange the vegetables and protein on top, and then place your garnish. Drizzle the amount of sauce you like onto the bowl just before serving.

Additional Notes

I have not included specific quantities here, because it’s meant to serve as a general guide. You have the freedom to assemble and adjust your portions according to your preferences and needs. However, in general, I suggest about 1/2 cup of cooked grain, 2 cups of cooked vegetables, 4 ounces of tofu or tempeh, a couple of tablespoons of garnish, and up to 1/4 cup of sauce per person.

Simply steaming the tofu or tempeh is quickest, but if you have more time, you can of course marinate, bake, grill, or prepare it any way you like.

The Author

Skye Mallon

Skye is a Transformation Coach and Lifestyle Blogger who helps people achieve their best selves inside and out. She encourages everyone to love their bodies more! And believes that together we can achieve anything! If you can visualise it, you can have it. She is passionate about all things wellness, fitness and fashion. And that the mind, body and soul should always interlink. She specialises in coaching Jump Rope HIIT paired with Bodyweight, Strength, Yogalates, Boxing and Kickboxing movements. She has a keen interest in high-quality, activewear apparel and represents different brands. Lastly, she believes that the best results are achieved by doing something you love! The point is to have fun, explore more and get outside of your comfort zone.